This project is our volunteer-led befriending programme that has been designed to take the service of Listening Ears, to the members of our community who really need the service, but are unable to get out of their house to access our support due to reasons of acute isolation, ill-health, disability, retirement, loss of spouse, mental health issues or other social disadvantages.
All the services of Listening Ears are always borne out of an identified need and this need arose from the previous service users of the Feel Good Friday project, who became too frail to attend the drop-in-centre. We also started to receive referrals and inquiries from the social services, hospitals, families and members of the community about their need for companionship for those in this sort of situation.
With the help and assistance of our committed volunteers, we provide companionship and befriending support service users and encourage them to develop interactive skills which will ultimately improve their health as they gradually overcome their isolation. Our volunteers visit each client at least once in a week and give them companionship for about an hour. In addition, we provide telephone befriending support to these individuals from our Admin support and helpline.
Within the arrangement, our volunteers provide a practical helping hand in little areas of life where they need support to enhance their quality of life and add value to their existence.
We welcome referrals from the Adult & Older People Services, Hospitals and Recovery centres, other organisations that work with elderly people including Age UK, families and friends and also concerned members of the community. We also welcome self referrals.
In view of the high volume of referrals we receive, we are requesting more hands to join our team of volunteers so that we can support more people within the community. To volunteer a few hours of your week to enable us achieve our goals, please go to this link to complete a volunteer application form. To volunteer as a community angel, visit our volunteer page to find out more.